No Hair 5 Months Post Chemo

MaryGLA

I finished chemo on March 30th, and my hair is still really, really thin. I don't see any signs that my missing follicles are waking up. Did anybody else have really slow hair regrowth? I need a glimmer of hope here! Thanks!

Mary

newter

Hi Mary,

I am sure someone will be around soon to give you good advice. My advice would be to get some Nioxin scalp therapy from a salon. Also you may want to take some good prenatal or hair and nail vitamins. I am still taking a vitamin called Biotin but I may switch to a prenatal. My doctor had no problem with this. Still a good idea to check with yours.

Hope this helps. I really feel your pain and I still obsess about hair and I am 10 months out from chemo. I am finally getting used to my "new" look.

Newter

slanderson

Also, give your scalp massages. This will help your follicles "wake up". At 5 months post chemo, I had hair, I mean, you couldn't see my scalp, but the hair that I had was VERY fine. I am now about 3 months short of 2 years after last chemo and I have completely normal looking hair. It looks completely normal, but it still feels super thin. I put mousse in it and you can't tell.

Just give it time.....

Shannon

p.s. Nioxin makes hair and nail vitamins, as well, I have taken those since end of chemo.....

Anonymous

These are all good suggestions. I actually used a soft toothbrush to try to stimulate growth and then when some hair appeared, switched to a soft baby brush. I also mega-dosed on biotin (5mg, which is huge!) and continue to do so. There are no known negative side effects from taking alot of it and I now have a full head of hair that is almost down to my shoulders! When I was 5 months post-chemo, I still had to wear my wig.

Have hope......it WILL happen!

Marin

NancyM

My best hairdo was when my hair was still very thin. Someone at work said "New York Chic!" My sister gave me faboulous earrings to go with my "attitude" hair. Two different strangers complimented me!! (Really!) Super short and super FAB!! Now, my hairstylist has to thin out my hair and NO ONE compliments me.

From your photo, you are one of the gorgeous women who can look good with supershort hair. Strut your stuff, honey! Your hair will eventually make its triumphant return, but you can turn heads in the meantime!!

sjoc

Hi Mary - I finished chemo (TC) the end of September. I was wearing scaves well into May because it was so thin. It didn't actually start growing until the middle of February. I didn't think my hair would ever grow back but it did. It is now pretty full and quite coarse because it is gray and silver - actually quite pretty. To tell you the truth, I actually kind of miss wearing caps and scarves. I hate having to take the time to do my hair in the am and have kept it quite short. Be patient - my onc said he never had a patient who lost her hair permanently. Good luck - Sandy

MaryGLA

Thanks to everybody who answered. I feel a little more hopeful now! I just bought Nioxin about a week ago, and the balding man who sold it to me told me it works well. He was not the best walking advertisement! I think I will try my husband's gel this morning and see how my little wisps look spiked.

Sandy, it sounds like my hair is following your schedule, so that gives me about three more months of looking like Miss Chemo Louisiana! Not my favorite look!

Thanks again you all!

Mary

myrenewal

Hi Mary - I am now 8 months out of chemo and just recently quit wearing my wig. My hair is now about 1" long, and very curly. It does take time!

janet11

Gad, THANKS for starting this thread. I finished chemo mid January 2007 and my hair is still baby fine and very thin and I have large visible scalp areas. it's been 7 months (*sigh*). Now I know I'm not alone.

By the way, I did spike my wisps last October for Halloween (I never went bald, just had 'wisps') and everyone loved it. Made me feel fun! (*grin*).

Good luck!!!!

abbadoodles

I didn't lose all my hair until several weeks POST chemo, when the last of it went. AND nothing appeared until more than 6 weeks post chemo. I was beginning to think nothing was happening, either.

BUT, it did start coming in and now, three months post chemo, it is starting to really grow.

The top, which was the baldest and smooooooothest, is now the thickest. The sides have been slower, but I think it's because they left later than the rest. Don't forget, too, that all follicles were at different stages in their cycles. Imagine if everything fell at once! No, it's best things come back in waves rather than all at once.

This past week I am seeing the sides, which are still thinner, starting to get a little bushier and even curl up a bit. Maybe it's the start of those chemo curls everyone talks about.

I have a trip scheduled for mid-October and I don't/cannot be wearing my wig so I'm PRAYING for a decent head of hair by then.

It's great to be able to compare notes with everyone, but it's also important to remember that our bodies are our own and unique so we can't expect the same results as the next person. Easy to say, hard to do.

I never would have believed my hair would grow back but now cannot believe it was ever so very, very GONE.

Tina

wakebrat7

O.k., check it out. I have the hair growth answer. First of all use the Nioxin. It totally worked for me, I swear!

Next, and your not going to believe this, but its true. Take Flintstones vitamins. My doctor suggested them and I swear my hair grew like a weed. People have asked me time and time again, why my hair grows so fast and what do I do. I told them about the Flintstones vitamins. I have talked to other women who take them as well and they swear by it too.

Anyways, good luck. I promise if you follow these two things your hair, once it starts moving, will grow like a weed.

Lillie

MaryGLA

Lillie, Thanks for the Flintstones tip. I'll try them, although it sounds a little off the wall! What are we feeding our kids???

I saw my onc on Monday, and he said, "Wait three more months. You'll have hair." Gee, thanks doc!

His nurse asked me about my protein intake. I'm a vegetarian, and she thought I might need a protein supplement to speed up the hair growth. Guess I could chug a protein shake with my Flintstones! After, of course, shampooing with my nioxin! I'll will try anything at this point!

My nurse also said she has never had a patient who did not regrow their hair, which is all well and good. I mean technically, I have hair, but you can see my scalp through it. And if one more person with beautiful hair tells me, "It's only hair", I will shave their head right on the spot!

Up with follicles!

Mary

ELW412

I have chemotherapy-induced alopecia. I have been told my hair may never grow back. I think I have tried most of the things people have suggested, but with no luck. I finished chemo 8 months ago and my hair regrowth is very sparse and there are large bald patches with no growth at all. I don't have any eyelashes or eyebrows either. I read recently that any of the taxane (Taxol or Taxotere) drugs can cause this and I had pretty heavy doses.

I am coming to terms with it, but it has been challenging. I now go to a wonderful barber who shaves my head with a straight razor every few weeks and I wear fun scarves or hats or go bare headed. I'm not one for wigs and I just try to be grateful for being healthy and alive!

I guess I just want to let others who may be dealing with permanent loss that I know it can be difficult. I understand and sympathize. I just try to be thankful for all the good things in my life and that in the overall scheme of things, I can live with no hair!